The Best of Both Phone, and Tablet
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"Great LCD 1080p monitor for the price with flawed ATSC/QAM digital audio output" on by jfreuler
Pros: Wide view LCD screen, 1080p, 4 HDMI/HDCP inputs
Cons: Built-in ATSC/ClearQAM tuner does not output the full digital 5.1 bitstream to the SPDIF optical output, only stereo
Summary: I just purchased the TX-42F430S and so far it's high def video output is excellent even at close range. The HDMI inputs support HD 1080p from my computer's DVI output.
The internal NTSC/ATSC/ClearQAM tuner works OK for over the air broadcasts with one big audio issue - it does not output the full digital 5.1 bitstream to the SPDIF digital optical output, only stereo. This internal ATSC/QAM tuner/decoder design flaw means that HD 5.1 broadcast audio from the internal tuner comes out of the SPDIF digital output in 2.0 stereo when sent to a home theater receiver - not exactly the "State of the Art" digital audio performance expected from HD ATSC/QAM tuners. This problem should be considered a show-stopper by anyone intending to use the only the internal ATSC/QAM tuner to view HD 5.1 broadcasts. I am also awaiting a response from Westinghouse support about this issue.
But overall, the Westinghouse TX-42F430S LCD performs well as a 1080p HDMI/HDCP capable monitor, and is reasonably priced. -
"Excellent Value, Great Connectivity" on by mfourni2
Pros: Price, 1080P, 4 HDMI inputs, Sound--> subwoofer built in
Cons: Some blurring during fast motion, Lack of formats
Summary: I just picked this up a few days ago and have really been digging it since. I wanted to purchase the previous model (LVM-42W2), but was hesitant because the lack of a tuner, even though I don't use one. This one has a tuner along with all the features and still comes in at a bargain of a price. The number of inputs is quite impressive which should make this tv useful for many years to come. My brother had mocked me initially for going with an "off-brand" so to speak, but he was thoroughly impressed once he saw this in action. I will admit that the set looked pretty weak on the wall of Best Buy compared to more expensive sets, but I have read that they do that on purpose because the markup is much lower on a bargain tv.
The image quality looks great when the set is at home. I hooked up my computer to it through VGA (w/1080P support), but was sad to realize my Macbook does not output resolution that high. The picture still looked great and I could see using this as a huge computer monitor with no problem (which I intend to do) and it also did great with a downloaded copy of Disney Pixar's Cars.
Next up was the Nintendo Wii which I hooked up through component cables which also supports 1080P though the Wii only outputs to 480, maybe 720. Regardless, the picture looked great.
I am yet to feed this any true HD content, but I plan on hooking it up to my parent's HD DVR soon to really let it show off.
One of the nice features about this set is that it automatically detects when a device has been turned on and switches to that input (though it can be disabled). I read in reviews of the previous model (LVM-42W2) that the remote was terrible and had to be aimed directly at the receiver. This is not the case on this model, the remote works as well as any other I've used. The feature that still needs enhancement is the formatting. If you are getting a widescreen signal, it will be fine. If you are getting a 4:3 signal it will also be fine. You are going to run into problems when watching tv broadcast in 4:3 displaying a widescreen image (confusing?). I have not encountered this yet, but most widescreen tv's have more than 2 settings for display formatting. Not a big deal because it seems like everything is slowly switching to widescreen and you probably get HD cable if you are insisting on a set with 1080P. Other than that, the menu was easy to navigate and things seem logically arranged to me. I played around a bit with the color and teperature settings to what looked best to my eye, but I'm not much of an expert when it comes to this; I'll wait until some nerd on an AV forum posts the perfect settings.
The sound is very good for built in speakers and the built in subwoofer really helps. However, everyone knows the full HD experience requires a surround sound system.
All in all, this seems like a great set, especially when you consider the price. There are definitely nicer tvs out there, but this one will get the job done for a reasonable price. I did, however, purchase the 4 year maintenance plan because I am not sure how Westinghouse will perform in the long run. I don't worry too much about it as these sets are being carried by some reputable stores (see Abt Electronics).Updated
After an hour or so of tinkering and playing with the settings on my computer and in Quiktime, I was able to send the screen a 1080P picture. The first thing I did was watch the Simpsons Movie Preview in HD and it looked amazing. The lines were crisp and the colors were vibrant; I have a tough time believing I could notice any improvements on a "better" (aka more expensive) screen. I have heard that the place the expensive screens excel is in skin tone, but both Harold and Kumar looked normal enough while watching Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. YouTube videos are tolerable (see blotchy) when set to full screen, but look real good when watched on the regular web page. No regrets so far and I would definitely recommend this set to anyone looking. -
"Excellent Value for 1080p TV" on by moysauce
Pros: Great 1080p HD and SDTV output! Multiple HD inputs
Cons: Needs a bit darker black levels? otherwise none really
Summary: After reading all of the previous posts, i would like to skip the redundant content on them and go with my setup and thoughts on them.
Xbox 360 Connected to HD VGA cable - Output is excellent makes my upconverting DVDs seem like I don't need to make the jump to Blu Ray/HD-DVD. VGA connection supports up to 1080p.
Nintendo Wii - Connected Via aftermarket component cable - I see a huge boost in performance through the Legend of Zelda when set to 480p.
HD Cable connected via HDMI (Local Cable Provider) - My cable company outputs at 1080i and the HD content when certain channels choose to broadcast in HD looks great. Standard Definition at 480p looks good too but obviously not as good as 1080i.
Black levels could be better but that is expected with LCD technology. If one is that anal about black levels, than you should probably look for a really good plasma TV.
I did not see any blurryness that one user was talking about and i had really fast paced action movies playing (Matrix/V for Vendetta etc.)
Overall very happy as this is my first HDTV purchase. I think this is has the best price vs performance ratio on the market.
I have not tested the speakers on the TV as I have connected all devices to my AV receiver.
A great display for gaming. Gears of War looks phenomenal on this TV. -
"Excellent Value, no disappointments." on by iskjone
Pros: 1080P, 4 HDMI connections, rock bottom price.
Cons: Standard Broadcast viewing not on par with a Sony.
Summary: While not a Sony for standard defination broadcast this Westy has true 1080P, four HDMI inputs along with two components inputs, VGA and other standard fare inputs. Excellent HDTV picture and my Progressive Scan DVD never looked so good. Overall this set is much better than I expected for a 42" LCD for only $1,234 from Best Buy. I like it better than my HDTV Toshiba and the 42" Vizio (LCD) crap lasted less than 24 hours before I returned it back to Home Depot. This Westinghouse TX-42F430S is a very decent HDTV (LCD) at a rock bottom commodity price! What do you want... Eggs in your beer?
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"Great value for entry into the land of 1080p" on by reinmayker
Pros: Price; Known name brand; 4 HDMI slots
Cons: Stuck pixels
Summary: I was enticed by Westinghouse's entry price for 1080p which was very, very affordable compared to other brands so I took the dive. The first one I purchased of this model had a blatantly obvious stuck pixel so I wound up returning it.
The second one I picked up also had a stuck pixel but small enough that I decided to live with it because the rest of the tv's features were great for the price. I also found that stuck pixels can be a common occurrence for LCD tv's so this isn't an issue necessarily limited to Westinghouse. All in all I've been very satisfied with my decision so far.Updated
I’m adding to my earlier review made just after I purchased this model back in Aug. ’07. Up until about a month ago I had no problems and thought of the set as a terrific buy for a 1080p LCD for only $1000.
But twice over the last month I’ve had the HDMI connection go out. At first, I wasn’t sure what was going but after lots of time spent pulling hair & doing research I’ve come to find that Westinghouse used a defective part for their HDMI connections. You can view others that have had this problem by looking on FixYa.com. When I contacted Westinghouse about this the CSR I spoke with indicated the company was well aware of the issue but had no intention of recalling and fixing all previously sold sets nor in even fixing those currently on the assembly lines. The company also made no indication that they would extend their warranty for this issue.
The most effective fix they could offer (which was already mentioned on FixYa) is to unplug the t.v. in order to reset it and then plug back in. Now, just think how you’d feel if you owed one of the sets like mine where there is no guarantee that this problem won’t persist or worsen as the t.v. ages. In fact there seems to be no assurance at all from anyone that all of the HDMI connections won’t fail within less than 5-10 years due to this problem. So, while I’ve loved this set up ‘til now this is a big enough issue for me from a product and customer service point of view that I recommend all stay away from this product line and this company.
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